Centrifugal casting apparatus



Feb. 6, 19400 5 MQQRHEAD 2,189,290

CENTRIFUGAL CASTIN APPARATUS Filed NOV. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BClb I Egzrhacd ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1940. MOQRHEAD 2,189,290

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M5 \NVENTOR 52. A\ber1 E. Moorhead ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1940.

A. E, MOORHEAD CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1931 El E1 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR AI beri" E. Moor head ATTORN EY Feb. 6, 1940.

A. E. MOORHEAD CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 rhea I NV ENTOR gan ATTORNEY Alberr 50 parts;

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED, STATES .ATENT, OFFICE 2,189,290 c CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS Albert E. Moorhead, San Francisco, Calif. Application November 8, 1937, Serial No. 173,324

16 Claims. (01. 25 -41) -This invention relates to a system for casting articles from plastic material, such as hydraulic cement or concrete; and especially to apparatus utilizing centrifugal force for urging the material into the molds.

The advantages of centrifugal casting are well understood. Such casting has been proposed by feeding thematerial into the interior of a rotary drum, the molds being supported on the exterior of the drum and in communication therewith. After casting, the drum had to be stopped and the molds emptied one by one.

It is one of the objects of this invention to make it possible to discharge the molded articles even while the drum is rotating, and to manipulate the molds so that they may open and close during rotation. l

Itis another object of the'invention to make it possible to assist the discharge of the cast articles by centrifugal force at any time desired .30 embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a. form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in :detail, illustrating the general principles of the .35 invention; butit is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

no Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view partly broken away of the apparatus embodying the invention, and illustrating the mechanism for opening and closing the molds;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to. Fig. 1, but illustrat- 5' ing the mechanism at the opposite end of the apparatus for opening and closing the gate closures for the molds;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the rotary mechanism and its associated I Fig. 4 is a detail sectional illustrating the cam mechanism utilized for opening and closing the molds; a .1

Fig. 5 we detail cross section of the cam 55 t a Fig. 6 is a sectionalview taken substantially along planet-8 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of one of the molds and its associated parts; i L

Fig. 8. is a sectional view taken along plane 5 S-t of Fig. 7;. i

Fig. 9 is an end View of one of the molds taken along the plane 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of one of the molds; M

Fig. 11 is a sectionalview taken along plane 10 ll-ll of Fig. '7; Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the mold in open position; and

Fig. 13 is a pictorial view of an article cast in accordance with the present invention. '15

In the present instance the apparatus is illustrated as capable of molding the roof shingle I (Figs. 12 and 13), although other articles may bemoldedupon appropriate change in mold configuration. '20

The plastic materials such as concrete or hydraulic" cement, which are used for forming the article i, can be fed'to the interior of a rotary drum structure 2. This drum structure 2 is appropriately supported on a horizontal axis to rotate thereon. For example, the drum structure may include the end flanges 3 and 4 which may be formed of castings. These flanges serve to support the exterior cylindrical portion 5 of the.

drum as by any appropriate fastening means-'30 This part 5 can be appropriately formed of sheet metal telescoping over the annular rims of the flanges 3 and 4.

Each of the end flanges 3 and 4 can be provided with a hollow tubular extension such asa '5 B and i'. These tubular extensions serve as trunnions for the drum, as well as a means of ingress of the plastic material.

The manner in which the extensions 6 and I are rotatably supported is best explained in connection with Figs. 2 and 3.

1 In these figures it is seen that a standard 8 is provided, which is bolted to the supporting base 9. This standard has a circular channel [0 which serves to accommodate the rollers ll. These rollers are freely rotatable on the pivot bolts l2 which pass across the channel l0. As

period of rotation, whereby the plastic material inside of the drum is vibrated so as to render the material dense and uniform in structure. Of course the rollers H should have considerable clearance with respect to the pivot bolts l2 to permit the trunnion extensions to pass the rollers.

The exterior of the drum structure serves to support a plurality of longitudinal rows of molds l4. Each of the molds is in communication with the drum interior, as illustrated for example in Fig. 8. Thus each of the molds l4 includes a pair of upright sides l5 and I6 shown as integral with the transverse bosses l1. These bosses I! extend not only beyond the sides I5 and [6, but also between these sides, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The exterior portions of the boss I! serve to accommodate the fastening means l8 by the aid of which the mold structure can be attached to the sheet metal drum portion 5. These upright portions l5 and I6 form the end walls of the mold structure. One side wall of the mold structure may be formed by a member l9 which is inserted between the upright walls l5 and I6 and which may be held in place therein as by the aid of the through bolts 20. This side wall l9 may also be provided 'witha flange 2| forming with the flange I! a converging gate opening 22 leading upwardly into the mold space and communicating with the aperture 23 formed in the member 5. Each of the molds l4 thus is in alinement with one aperture 23, a number of which are shown in Fig. 3. Through these apertures and the converging gate opening 22, the plastic material may flow radially outwardly into the mold space 24, under the influence of centrifugal force.

Forming the other side wall of the mold structure is a movable member 25. This movable member 25 is shown removed from the mold in Fig. '11. It is shown in closed position in Fig. 8 and in open position in Fig. 12. This side wall member 25 is provided with a cylindrical projection 26 at its lower end by the aid of which it may be journalled in a cylindrical groove 21 (Fig. 11) formed near the inner edge of the boss l! between the upright ends l5 and [6. In closed position the surface '28 of member 25 is in contact with the overhanging lip 29 of the side member "f9, forming the closed mold space 24. During the process of casting, the gate opening 22 is opened and the member 25 is closed as illustrated in Fig. 8. When it is desired to discharge the cast article, the member 25 is opened to the position shown in Fig. 12.

In order to accomplish this opening and closing movement, the member 25 is provided with an integral ear 3!]. This car, as shown most clearly in Figs. 9 and 10, serves to support a pivot bolt 3| for a connecting link 32. This connecting link 'is connected at its free end to a clevis lever 33 attached to a shaft 34 for operating the lever 33. It is apparent that when shaft 34 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9,.Jthe member 25 is urged toward opening position; and when the shaft 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the member 25 is urged toward closing position. It is also to be noted that the cylindersooket 2'! in conjunction with the link 32 and lever 33 constrains the motion of member 25 as a pivotal one about the axis ofthe center of the cylindrical projection '26.

v The shaft 34 can extend longitudinally along the drum so that -'it coacts with all of the molds f4 in a common row, there being as many such shafts 34 as there are rows of molds. This is shown clearly in Fig. 3. The manner in which the shaft 34 is rocked to open and close the mold will be described hereinafter.

Before the mold structure I4 is opened, the gate opening 22 should be closed. The gate opening closure in the present instances is shown as consisting of a flat plate 35. This fiat plate 35 has a slanting advancing edge which progresses across the bottom of the mold space 24. It is guided for its opening and closing movements partially in an appropriate slot formed in the bottom of the member I9 and also by the aid of a guide plate 36 (Fig. 7). This guide plate 36 forms with the flange 2| a guide groove for the gate closure 35 and is fastened to the flange 2| as by the aid of the bolts 31. In order that the closure member 35 may pass the bolts 31, this closure member can be provided with slots 38 as shown in Fig. 11.

The advancing edge of the gate closure 35 is adapted to cooperate with the bottom portion of the movable wall 25 as illustrated in Fig. l2. Its

reciprocating motion to open and close thebottom of the mold and thereby to control the ingress of plastic material into the mold includes a shaft 39. This shaft 39 as shown in Fig. 3, can extend across all of the mold structures M in a common wall so that all of the closures 35 for all of the molds in a row are operated at once.

The operating connection can comprise a lever 46 fastened to the shaft 39 and having a knob 4l engaging inside of an aperture in the gate 35. Guide plate 35, as shown in Fig. '7, is appropriately slotted to permit the passage of this part of the lever 40.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 8, a counterclockwise rocking of shaft 39 will serve to close the gate opening. In order to open the gate from the closed position of Fig. 12, a clockwise rotation of shaft 39 is necessary.

Auxiliary devices for forming nail openings in the shingle I during the process of casting are also illustrated. Thus for example, these cores can be in the form of bars 42 which are adapted to be extended transversely across the mold space 24 and to contact with the inner surface of the movable mold member 25. These bars 42 form the spaced nail openings 43 (Fig. 13). They are withdrawn at the same time that the mold is opened. This is accomplished, for example, by providing a socket member 44 on the end of each bar 42. In this socket member is disposed the operating end of a lever 45 also fastened to the shaft 34. Accordingly it is seen that simultaneously with the opening of the mold 14, the core bars 42 arealso'withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 12.

An additional lever '45 may also be provided for operating aplunger '41 to free the article I from the mold. This plunger 41 may also be provided with a head 43 formed as a socket for the accommodation of the operating end of lever 46.

The arrangement is such that an operator can at will, causethe molds 14 to open as they pass a stationary mechanism. This is illustratedv to best-advantage in Figs, 1, 3, 4 and5.

open the molds in the associated row. The mold l4, illustrated as being in a horizontal position,

--is ready to be opened in this manner.

This opening is accomplished by the aid of a the support 9.

cam track mechanism which coacts with the followers 50 as the rotation of the drum 5 progresses. This cam track is formed of an arcuate section 5| integral with a flange 52 of arcuate form.

This flange 52 is appropriately supported upon is accommodated. In this way the angular motion of the cam section 53is provided for. If

desired, a pivot pin 56 may extend through the,

boss 55 and between the two cam sections 5| and 53.

The free end of the adjustable cam section 53 .is provided with opposed sloping faces 51 and 58. When moved outwardly to the position of Fig. 1, the cam followers 50 contact with the sloping face 51 and upon continued rotation of the drum structure, the cam followers 50 are urged to follow the inner surface of the stationary cam section 5|. This condition is illustrated in Fig. l by those followers 50 which are associated with the mold structures l4 that have passed the horizontal positions. These molds I4 are therefore in opened position. The articles I are then free to dropout of the molds both by gravity andby centrifugal force onto a conveyor belt 59 provided at the bottom of the drum.

If, on the other hand, it be desired toclose molds I4 as they passthrough the horizontal position, the movable cam section 53 is urged inwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 1. In this position the cam followers 56 engage the sloping surface 58 of the movable cam 21 and are urged outwardly to ride on the outer surface of the stationary track section 5|. This causes a rotation of the shafts 34 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l to return the mold to closed position.

The optionalpositioning of the movable cam section 53 is accomplished in any appropriate manner. Thus, for example, the movable cam section 53 can be joined to a link 60 as by the aid of a right angled extension 6| which passes through a slot 62 in the, flange 52. The free end of the link 60 is joined as by the aid of a clevis 63 to a lever 64. This lever 54 is formed integral with a hand control lever 65 pivoted by the aid of a pin 66. By rotating the hand lever 65 in a clockwise direction from the position of Fig. l, the cam section 53 can be moved inwardly. In order to hold the cam section 53 in either of its adjusted positions, the usual segment and catch mechanism can be provided. The segment 51 is shown as formed integrally with a horizontal extension of the flange 52. The catch 58 is shown as operated by the lever 69 pivoted below the handle ill of the lever 65.

It is apparent that a clockwise rotation of shaft 34 is accomplished during rotation of the rotary drum, and it is unnecessary to stop the mechanism to discharge the article I from the mold l4.

It is also apparent that shaft 39 may be similarly controlled by a cam and follower mechanism arranged at that end of the drum 5 which is opposite to the end hand lever 65 is located. Thus for example, at that end there is a seas- The integral track 5| is supment 1| appropriately supported on the support position or its dotted line position of Fig.2; For this purpose section 13 has a circular end cooperating with a circulargroove in the contiguous end of the integral track 12. It is-also provided with an integrally formed shaft -14 passing through the hub'u'l5 formed on the segment 1|. Attached to this shaft 14 for adjusting the position of the section 13 is a lever" joined as by a link 11 to a clevis l8. Thisclevis in turn is joined to the lever 19 fastened to the shaft 65 to which the hand lever 65 is fastened. Thus it is apparent that operation of the hand lever 65 will cause an operation of the cam section 73, as well as of the cam section 53. However, the operation is in different directions; that is, the section 131s urged inwardly when section 53 is urged outwardly. This. opposite motion is for the purpose of rotating the shaft 39in an opposite direction required for moving the gate closure 35 as heretofore explained when the cam followers 85 carried on the lever 8|" contact therewith. The levers 3| are fastened to the shaft 39. As they pass through the horizontal position of Fig. 2, the shafts 39 are given a of Fig; 2, the cam followers 80 will be urged to i move along'theinner surface of the stationary track I2, and shafts 39 are rotated in a clockwise direction for opening thegate closure 35. i

It isalso to be notedthat the angular extent of segment H is greater than the angular extent of the segment 52. In this way it is ensured that the gates 35 will be closed before the molds l4 open; on the other hand, when the lever 55 is moved so as to close the molds, the gate closures 35 will be opened before molds are closed.

The mode of operation of the mechanism is apparent from the foregoing. The hand lever 65 is first set to move the cam section 53 to mold closing position and the cam section 13 to gate opening position. The molds then assume the position of Fig. 8, the core bars 42 being inserted into the mold space. The molds l4 will then assume the position of Fig. 8. Upon rotation of thedrum 5, the plastic material is poured into the drum interior through either of its trunnions. Centrifugal force urges the plastic material compactly into the mold spaces 24 and excess moisture is pressed out and a homogeneous product is ensured. Upon sufficient rotation of the drum, the lever 65 is set to the position of Fig. 1, the molds then opening and the gates 35 closing, theposition of the molds l4 being indicated in Fig. 12. Thereupon centrifugal force, as well as gravity serves to deposit the articles upon the moving conveyor 58 from which they can be removed and stacked.

What is claimed is: H

1. In centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary member, a series of molds carried by the member,

,permit its opening, and means for optionally operating said part while the member is rotating,

-desired number of revolutions.

and :for causing the mold to stayclosed for any 3. In centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary member, a series of molds. carried by the member, and means optionally causing the molds to open or to close, during rotation of the member, and for causing the mold to stay closed for any de-- sired number of revolutions.

4, In centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary member, a series of molds carried by the member, means forming gate closures between the molds and the member, and means for causing the molds to open and the gate closures to close during rotation of the member.

5. In centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary member, a series of molds carried by the member, means forming gate closures between the molds and the member, means causing the molds to open for discharging the cast articles, and means for operating the mold opening means and the gate closures during rotation of said member.

6. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary material receiving member, a series of molds supported on the member and adapted to receive the material therefrom, and capable of opening to facilitate discharge of the contents of the mold, and means for causing said mold to open so that centrifugal force may be utilized to aid the discharge of the mold contents.

'7. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary material receiving member, a series of molds supported on the member and adapted to receive the material therefrom, and capable of opening to facilitate discharge of the contents of the mold, a cam and follower mechanism for operating the molds during rotation of the member, and means for adjusting the same optionally to cause the molds to open or to close.

8. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary material receiving member, a series of molds supported on the member and adapted to receive the material therefrom, means forming gate closures between the member and the molds, a cam and follower mechanism for operating the gate closures during rotation of the member, and means for adjusting the cam optionally to cause thegate closures to open or to close.

9. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, each of said molds having a movable part so that the mold may be opened to discharge the cast article, and means foroptionally causing the molds in a row to open when the row reaches a definite angular position.

10. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be intro duced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, each of said molds having a movable part so that the mold may be opened to discharge the cast article, and means for optionally causing the molds in a row to open or to close when the row reaches a definite angular position.

11, In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, each of said molds having a movable part so that the mold may be opened to discharge the cast article, and means for optionally. causing the molds in a row to close when the row reaches a definite angular position.

12. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, gate closures for controlling communication between the drum and the molds, and means for optionally causing the gate closures for the molds in a row to close when the row reaches a definite angular position.

13. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, gate closures for controlling communication between the drum and the molds, and means for optionally causing the gate closures for the molds in a row to close or to open when the row reaches a definite angular position.

14. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, gate closures for controlling communication between the drum and the molds, and means for optionally causing the gate closures for the molds in a row to open when the row reaches a definite angular position.

15. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, each of said molds having a movable part so that the mold may be opened to discharge the cast article, and means for optionally causing the molds in a row to open when the row reaches a definite angular position, comprising a cam and follower mechanism, and means for adjusting the position of the cam.

16. In a centrifugal casting apparatus, a rotary drum into which plastic material may be introduced, a series of rows of molds supported on the drum exterior and adapted to be placed in communication with the interior of the drum, gate closures for controlling communication between the drum and the molds, and means for optionally causing the gate closures for the molds in a row to close when the row reaches a definite angular position, comprising a cam and follower mechanism, and means for adjusting the position of the cam.

ALBERT E. MOORHEAD. 

